Traverse rod for drapes, etc.



Sept. 10, 1968 D. D. POLIZZI TRAVERSE ROD FOR DRAPES, ETC.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1966 -Q n; 2o 1 6 W M w ru \l/MHHU 3m m 1 W. ZW v H m H 3 @Mw F INVENTOR. DANIEL D. POLIZZI Sept. 10, 1968 D. D. POLJZZI 3,400,425

TRAVERSE ROD FOR DRAPES, ETC.

Filed Jan. 24, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J 6 I i 5o E FIG. /5'

F/GJ/ 59 6/ @m @m z- /z FIG. 13 FIG. /2 FIG. M

DANIEL D. P01. I 22/ INVENTOR.

FIG. /0 BY W0.

United States Patent "ice 3,400,425 TRAVERSE ROD FOR DRAPES, ETC. Daniel D. Polizzi, 630 W. 8th St., Upland, Calif. 91786 Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,500 6 Claims. (CI. 16-95) This invention relates to traverse rod means and the like for supporting drapes, curtains and other kinds of flexible and/ or foldable panels. A novel support means in a structural beam-like form is employed and provided with a plurality of shiftable extendable hanger means and/ or units. The units are so arranged and innerconnected that when the drapes or foldable panels are opened or closed, the folds or pleats are evenly spaced. The even arrangement of the fold spacings is maintained no matter just where the drapes or foldable panels are set, that is, set in any position intermediate the vertical ends thereof.

So far as known, traverse rods have never been constructed in a manner to keep the folds or pleats evenly spaced in variously adjusted positions. This is important in that the general appearance of partly drawn drapes can enhance or spoil the decor of a room, stage, hall etc. And when the drapes cover an opening through which light enters a room, the folds of a pair of drapes are even more noticeable. In view of the foregoing, it is an improvement in the drapery art to provide evenly spaced folds.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to present a support for drapes, curtains etc. that is operative to maintain evenly spaced folds in them no matter in what position the drapes or curtains may be set or adjusted.

Another object is to provide a firm and sturdy support for drapes and the like, and which support is designed to keep the folds and/or pleats evenly spaced at all times.

Still another object is to provide a drapery support means that is economical to make and manufacture and thus make it available on a ready market.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon perusal of the specification and drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a drapery rod or beam shown from the wall side thereof and with certain parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view taken at right angles to that shown in FIG. 1 and with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view showing a bracket support means with a pulley-like wheel; the other end of the drapery-like rod or beam may or may not have a similar pulley-like wheel;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical view, parts is elevation and parts in section, showing one end of the drapery-like rod or beam in greater detail and with some parts broken away;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view, a part in section, showing an end of a slide block or glide unit;

FIG. 7 is an expansion view of a part of the invention with parts in section and parts in elevation;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of one of the extension elements;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a still larger scale showing how the extension elements screw together;

FIG. 10 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation to show more details of the block;

FIG. 11 shows a modified form of the invention with extension portions from both sides of a block and shows how one unit joins the next one;

FIG. 12 is an elevational view showing a part taken along the line 1212 of FIG. 11;

3,400,425 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13l3 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 1414 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is an elevational view of the drapery-like rod or beam with end portions broken away and also with the central portion broken away to disclose the internal arrangement of certain parts.

The principles of this invention can be applied to various kinds and types of supports for drapes, curtains, flexible panels, room dividers, etc. etc. Drapery rods have been employed for many years and so far as known, no such support rods were designed to meet the objects of this invention. Present day rods gather the drapes in uneven fold spacings and present an untidy appearance. This invention is a remedy to such a fault and the following description sets out two forms in which the invention can be practiced.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, an elongated drapery-like rod or beam 1 is shown which is somewhat rectangular in cross section having the top wall 2, front wall 3, bottom wall 4 and a rear wall 5 which is provided with an elongated slot 6. This slot extends from end to end of the rod or beam. Each end of the beam 1 is closed by a plate 7 having the flange portion 8 and the ear portion 9 to which a drape end is fastened. This plate means 7 is fixed to the beam 1 in any suitable manner such as by friction locking, screws, bolts, brazing etc. Fixed to this plate there is a bracket means 10 having the bent portion 11 of which is adapted to be attached to a wall and the like of a building. It might be well to state here that the beam may be of any suitable cross-sectional shape, that is, it may be angulated in many shapes and even made round or oval.

An elongated shaft 12 having a rectangular cross-section extends through the beam 1 and the end thereof fashioned to receive the pulley or wheel 13. This shaft protrudes through an opening in its respective end plate 7. Obviously, both ends of the shaft may be provided with a pulley or wheel 13. The hub of this wheel is keyed to the shaft 12 and turns therewith. A heavy cord 14 is looped about the pulley and by pulling the cord the wheel 13 and the shaft 12 is rotated. Any suitable materials may be employed for the various recited parts such as metal, various compositions of matter and any of the suitable plastics. Because of the cross-sectional shape of the beam 1, it would be strong enough for long spans, but it is to be understood, that the cross-sectional shape of any of the mentioned parts may be of any suitable design to meet the requirements of this invention.

The shaft 12 is supported by a plurality of intermediate slideable or glideable units 15 which is a combination of working parts; the end units 16 and 17 are fixed in position to the beam, and glideable central terminal units 18 and 19 are shiftable to various positions along the beam. The end units 16 and 17 are firmly fixed in position with respect to the beam end and may be anchored thereto in any suitable manner as by a suitable set screw or the like. The central units are indicated by the numerals 18 and 19 and have fixed thereto the carrier plates 20 and 21 respectively. These carrier plates have depending flanges 22 and 23, as shown; the plate 22 carries a drape holding bracket means 24 and the other plate 21 carries a drape holding bracket means 25. These bracket means are well known in the art and need not be explained in detail. The central end portions of a pair of drapes are attached to the brackets just mentioned and the outer ends of the drapes are attached to their respective ears 9.

Within the support rod or beam 1 there is a smooth elongated chamber 26 reaching from end to end of the beam 1 and in this chamber there are a plurality of the These units 15 consist of an outer element or block 27, note FIG. 7, and the inner tubular elements or shells 28, 29 and 30. All of them are preferably made of a suitable slick or easy gliding material such as nylon, for instance, so that they can easily slip along the smooth walled chamber 26 and also along shaft 12 as well as along their adjacent shells. Obviously, all these mentioned parts may be of any suitable material such as various kinds of plastics, metals or combination of them. Each tubular element or tubular shell is provided with suitable external threads or the like indicated in general at 31. The inner edge portion of each tubular shell, tubular shell 30 excepted, has a few threads as indicated at 32 which are in mesh with their respective outer threads of the inner tube next thereto. As viewed in FIG. 8, the left end of the tube or shell 30 has a rectangular opening 33 in the end wall of this tube which is adapted to ride along the rectangular shaft 12 and hence keyed thereto to rotate therewith. The outer element 27 has its corners cut back so as to easily clear the inner corners of the beam chamber 26. It should be obvious that the shaft need not be rectangular in cross section.

FIG. 9 of the drawings better illustrates the threaded connection between the various tubular shells. Note that the top of the threads on the inner shell are spaced from the smoothinner wall of the outer shell or block as indicated at 34. Also note, that a ridge portion 35 is provided at both ends of the tubular shell so as to prevent the shells from becoming separated or disengaged.

Each block 27 is provided with a recessed fiat portion 36 which is adapted to accommodate a slider 37 which may also be made of nylon, note FIG. 5. This slider has grooved portions 38 so that the slider will stay tracked in the slot 6. On the outer surface thereof is fixed or pivoted a drapery hanger bracket means 39 shaped as shown. Obviously, this hanger may be of any desirable shape and form and the same per so does not necessarily form an important part of the invention.

FIG. shows how the smaller screw-like shell 27 is coupled to the block. An internal circular groove 40 is provided in the shell and a ring 41 forced or pressed therein. An end of the shell 30 is provided with an outer circular grooved portion 42 and the circular opening 43 in the center of the ring 41 is forced or pressed onto the grooved end of the shell 30. By this arrangement, the ring 41 is held firmly to the block 27 and the shell 30 allowed to rotate in the central opening 43 of the ring 41.

The modified form of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 11 to inclusive, is very similar to the first described form of the invention except that each unit expands or elongates from both ends of the block so as to provide faster action or transit for movement of the drapes. In this form, the same structural beam or support 1 is employed having the slot 6 which is adapted to accommodate the sliders 37. In the chamber 26 of this modified form, there are a plurality of shiftable units or blocks 50 having their corners cut back and having a flat recessed portion 50' to accommodate a slider 37. These units ride along the elongated squared shaft 12 and this shaft is provided with a pulley type wheel 13 like the one shown in FIG. 4 and which wheel may be keyed to the shaft at either or both ends thereof.

The inner surface of each block 51 at the ends thereof is provided with a thread or two as illustrated in FIG. 9. A plurality of elements or shells emanate from each end of the block; however, note that the end blocks at the ends of the beam 1 are just the same as the ones described in the first form of the invention as they too are fixed in position with respect to the beam.

These intermediate blocks 51 each have a set of shells adapted to be extended from each end of the block. There are the nested concentric shells 53, 54 and 55 and at the other end there are the concentric nested shells 56, 57 and 58. Each shell is threaded and arranged as shown in FIG. 9, except that the shells 53, 54 and are provided with left handed threads (and/or right handed threads) and the shells 56, 57 and 58 are provided with rigid handed threads (and/or left handed threads) so that when the block is rotated in one direction, the shells are all drawn into the block and when rotated in the opposite direction the shells are all extended, hence the unit is contacted or expanded respectively.

Between the shells 55 and 58 there is a disc 59 to which the near ends of the shells are fixed so as to rotate with the disc and to which disc is coupled a slider 37 having a slot to engage the disc and ride along with it. This disc has a rectangular opening 60 so as to be keyed to shaft 12. One end of the shells 54 and 57 is fixed to its respective plate 61 which acts as a stop. One end of the shells 54 and 57 is fixed to its respective plate 61 which is used when both left and right hand threads are used on both sides of block 50. The central portion of the plate is provided with an opening 62 to clear the shaft.

It should now be apparent that in either form of the invention the rotation of the shaft 12 will easily cause the blocks or units along with their respective drapery hangers to slip very easily to the center of the beam 1 or if the rotation is reversed, the blocks will all slip to the ends of the beam. Obviously, only half of the blocks may be used and all made to slip to the far end of the beam without presenting a central break in the drapes.

Certain novel features and details of this invention are disclosed herein, and in some cases in considerable detail, in order to make the invention clear in at least two forms thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention, as disclosed, is not necessarily limited to the exact form or forms and details disclosed since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a traverse means for a supporting and expanding and contracting a drape, the combination of:

a series of spaced elements for connection to a corresponding series of spaced points of the drape;

a fixed longitudinal support means in sliding engagement with at least some of the elements to support the elements and thereby support the drape;

a plurality of screw mechanisms to move all of said elements simultaneously to expand the spacing between the elements to expand the drape or the contract the spacing between the elements to contract the drape;

each of said screw mechanisms interconnecting two successive elements and being operable in one rotary direction to move the two elements toward each other and operable in the opposite direction to move the two elements away from each other,

each of said screw mechanisms including at least one nonrotary component in sliding engagement with said longitudinal support means and at least one rotary component; and

an operating shaft means to actuate all of said rotary components simultaneously to actuate all of the screw mechanisms simultaneously to expand or contract the drape.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which some rotary components of said screw mechanisms are hollow and interior portions of said rotary components are of noncircular cross-sectional configuration;

and in which said shaft means is a corresponding noncircular cross-sectional configuration and is in sliding engagement with said interior portions of the rotary components.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said screw mechanisms includes two sleeves telcscoped together in screw-threaded engagement with each other and an internally threaded nonrotary member, one of said two sleeves being telescoped into said nonrotary member in screw-threaded engagement therewith; and

in which said shaft means is in sliding engagement with at least one of said two sleeves for rotation thereof.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said mechanisms includes a plurality of members in engagement with each other by screw threads and in which all of the screw threads are of the same hand.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of the screw mechanisms includes a plurality of elements in screw-threaded engagement with each other and in References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,527,860 10/1950 Troy 160-343 2,801,690 8/1957 Bennett 16'0343 3,003,552 10/1961 Eilenberger 160-343 X BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TRAVERSE MEANS FOR A SUPPORTING AND EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING A DRAPE, THE COMBINATION OF: A SERIES OF SPACED ELEMENTS FOR CONNECTION TO A CORRESPONDING SERIES OF SPACED POINTS OF THE DRAPE; A FIXED LONGITUDINAL SUPPORT MEANS IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH AT LEAST SOME OF THE ELEMENTS TO SUPPORT THE ELEMENTS AND THEREBY SUPPORT THE DRAPE; A PLURALITY OF SCREW MECHANISMS TO MOVE ALL OF SAID ELEMENTS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO EXPAND THE SPACING BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS TO EXPAND THE DRAPE OR THE CONTRACT THE SPACING BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS TO CONTRACT THE DRAPE; EACH OF SAID SCREW MECHANISMS INTERCONNECTING TWO SUCCESSIVE ELEMENTS AND BEING OPERABLE IN ONE ROTARY DIRECTION TO MOVE THE TWO ELEMENTS TOWARD EACH OTHER AND OPERABLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO MOVE THE TWO ELEMENTS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID SCREW MECHANISMS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE NONROTARY COMPONENT IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LONGITUDINAL SUPPORT MEANS AND AT LEAST ONE ROTARY COMPONENT; AND AN OPERATING SHAFT MEANS TO ACTUATE ALL OF SAID ROTARY COMPONENTS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO ACTUATE ALL OF THE SCREW MECHANISMS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO EXPAND OR CONTRACT THE DRAPE. 